15 June 2008

The World Naked Bike Ride

I went to Hyde Park to see the start of the World Naked Bike Ride. As I strolled towards the crowd and noticed several people walking around in the nude, I wasn't quite so keen to pull out my camera. Is it right to photograph people when they are naked? Even if they are naked in the middle of Hyde Park? The other onlookers around me didn't seem to have any qualms though, they were snapping away with their phones and cameras.

The people in the ride were wearing body paint, fancy hats, slogans written on their bodies. They wore wigs. One wore a bear suit and rode in a bike that had an armchair attached to it. A girl rode a unicycle. There were people with slogans like "Curb car use" and others with loftier ambitions for world peace.

I decided that it was all right to take photos.


World Naked Bike Ride, Hyde Park

While I was standing around, taking it all in, a nude man came along and said "Excuse me miss, would you mind posing for a photo with me for charity?" Certainly, for charity. He said he'd lost a bet and so he had to raise money for charity doing this bike ride.

Then he said "And would you raise £10 extra by giving me a little slap on the bum?"

That wasn't what I signed up for!

"Just a little one? For Greenpeace?"
I thought of saving the whales and gave him a slap on the bum.

Then there was a loud whistling and a cheer went up. A couple of hundred people - mostly men, with a few women as well - jumped on their bikes and slowly the World Naked Bike Riders wheeled off down the road.

World Naked Bike Ride, Hyde Park

I walked away, thinking that if the world benefits from such a quirky and entertaining event, it has to be a good thing.

P.S. Click here to see photos of the rest of the world doing their bike ride!

2 comments:

Ken said...

I think most cyclists secretly want to bike nude. All the ones I know take their full allocation of socially acceptable lycra wearing with relish.

Anonymous said...

I must admit riding in the nude could be said to be a bit cheeky!!! (sorry...bad pun).....Can think of a number of people who would go the slap on the butt 10 pounds or not!!!! I must admit I think for the male of the species it could be a little uncomfortable....but then who am I to make such supposition .....unfortunately a bit cold here at the moment to test the theory ..... Good on you....all for a good cause...Jillandshim